Remember the game the West Virginia Mountaineers played against the Memphis Tigers in the Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl? It was a game in which the Mountaineers fought back from a 17-0 deficit and put in a lead by notching up 21 points in the second quarter. Even in the dying minutes, chances were still there for them to win it. But they squandered those chances, and the team lost by 42-37. What happened in that game defines the season that West Virginia had in 2024. Too many losses and too many close games. What happened then after the Memphis game is no secret.

Players started getting ready to enter any coach’s nightmare: the transfer portal. Several players registered their names very early, back in December 2024. Players like C.J. Donaldson, the junior running back; Johnny Williams, the redshirt OL; and others like Tomas Rimac, a crucial lineman, entered the portal. Others, like Ryder Burton, the freshman QB, also went to seek pastures anew. All in all, there was a high level of attrition. The aftereffects are being felt by head coach Rich Rodriguez even today.

Delving into the issue of attrition post-2024 season, the coach expanded on how he was still wading through it. “We had a combination of seniors that started for West Virginia last year who were leaving, and then a handful of backups got in the portal as soon as they had an opening. So, that’s going to be a problem for anybody that’s taking over a new program.”

Rich Rodriguez joined West Virginia for his second stint after taking responsibility from Neal Brown. His first stint ended on a bitter note as he finished with a 60-26 record. Disagreements with then-director Ed Pastilong forced him out. Now, he has joined on a $3.5 million contract per year and will look to justify his price tag with a solid season in 2025. However, the stint comes with its own challenges. Especially in the form of NIL and portal movement.

The head coach expanded on the difficulties with NIL and seemingly sent a message to the NCAA. “I think the transfer portal in the spring makes no sense. I mean, we have to get the calendar right and the roster management piece right from the NCAA. But, wherever I got told by the coaches, the goalpost will move; we got to move with it, you know. If you want to win, you better adapt the best you can, and that doesn’t make it easy.”

It seems like the 61-year-old head coach still sees West Virginia with his old lenses from when he was the head coach during 2001-2007. Surely, the NIL wasn’t there at the time, and transfers were rare. Maybe that was the reason Rodriguez ultimately produced a nine-win season in his second year in 2005. It only took his spread option offense that took defenses by surprise and ran havoc in that era. But right now, the era is gone, and the transfer portal is a reality. However, the man looks well prepared as he has roped in 31 transfers in his 2025 class, including names like Michael Coats from Nevada and Jordan Scruggs (CB) from South Alabama. Surely, he can wade through the peril now, right?

Is Rich Rodriguez’s locker room decision harsh?

You must have heard the saying that ‘desperate times require desperate measures.’ Rich Rodriguez seems to be following this quote to the word and letter. He had recently banned TikTok in the locker rooms and also berated his players openly in the media for using the social media platform. The move was quite polarizing, but the head coach didn’t budge and, time and again, expressed his thoughts on the whole issue. This time, too, he has a message for his players.

“They (players) couldn’t dance, so it was embarrassing, that was first off; but I’m like, I said, if they can make money, you know, being good at something, I want to make money being good at football. So how about we get good at football? I don’t know if they’re going to make money being good at dancing on TikTok, not from what I’ve seen, right? But if they get really good at football, they can make money now. You’ll get followers if you score three touchdowns a game. I promise you that.”

The banning of TikTok, while harsh, looks to be motivated by preserving team cohesion and program culture. Furthermore, it’s not like programs depend on TikTok for their outreach. They primarily use platforms like X, Instagram, and Facebook. This essentially leaves TikTok a thing of relatively less utility for coaches like Rich Rodriguez, who view it as a mere ‘distraction.’

That being said, the head coach still would need to take care to fill holes left by several players like Anthony Wilson Jr., the Mountaineers’ best player in defense. Then Hudson Clement’s absence will also be felt as he notched up 480 yards on 22 receptions. Can the new transfer additions fill the requisite gaps and produce a successful season?